Chrysis strejceki Rosa & Halada, sp. nov.

(Figs 7A–G)

Material examined. Holotype — ♂, Aktaš, 70 km N of Tashkent, 27.V.1994, leg. M. Halada (NMLU). Paratypes, 2♂, same data as holotype (MHC, PRC).

Diagnosis. Chrysis strejceki sp. nov. can be recognised from other species of the leachii group by the combination of unique characters, such as the shape of the genital capsule, with the inner margin of the gonocoxa apically rounded and fully developed, covering the aedeagus (Fig. 7F); the second tergum entirely red, lacking the blue stipe on the apical margin, but with only a barely visible greenish line; the coarse punctures on the metasoma (Fig. 7E); the black spots on second sternum fused medially, covering large portion of the segment (Fig. 7G). This colouration pattern is unique among all known species of this group, as is the shape of the genital capsule. These characters are considered diagnostic for species identification in the leachii group (Linsenmaier 1959; Rosa & Makris 2023).

Description. Holotype ♂. Body length: 4.4 mm; anterior wing 2.0 mm.

Head. Frons and vertex with dense, subcontiguous, large (about 0.6–0.8× MOD) punctures, without polished interspaces (Fig 7A); punctures rounded and smaller on temples; transverse frontal carina faint; scapal basin deep, with sharp ridges; face between scapal basin and eye margin with large, contiguous punctures (Fig. 7A) similar to those on frons; genal carina straight, sharp, fully developed from temples to mandibular insertion; malar spaces relatively long (1.1× MOD); subantennal space extremely short, 0.6× MOD; clypeal apex trilobate, with thick, median brown rim. OOL 1.5× MOD; POL 2.4× MOD; MS 0.6× MOD; relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:1.3:0.9:0.7.

Mesosoma. Medial pronotal line large and shallow, reaching half of pronotal length (Fig. 7B); pronotum as long as mesoscutellum, with deep, large (up to 0.8× MOD) punctures, as large as those on frons, irregularly shaped and subcontiguous, almost without interspaces; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with similar punctures, more rounded and spaced with polished interspaces on median area; notauli formed by deep, bluish, subrectangular small foveae, with width less than 1/3 of larger punctures; parapsidal signum almost faint or partially hidden among punctures; mesoscutellar-metanotal suture formed by deep, longitudinally elongate punctures; metanotal punctures similar to mesoscutellum but subcontiguous to subconfluent, without polished insterspaces; posterior propodeal projections slightly divergent; mesopleuron with large punctures, episternal sulcus formed by large subrectangular foveae (Fig. 7C).

Metasoma. Dense, deep punctation, with relatively large punctures (up to 0.6× MOD) and almost without interspaces on first tergum (Fig. 7D); second tergum with wider interspaces laterally and posteriorly; median longitudinal carina on barely indicated by weak median metallic green line on basal half; third tergum without prepit swelling; pits of pit row small, deep, round (Fig. 7E); apical margin slightly acute; black spots on second sternum subrectangular, as long as ¾ of segment length, basally separated by thin metallic line (Fig. 7G). Genital capsule with inner margin of the gonocoxa apically rounded and fully developed to cover the aedeagus (Fig. 7F).

Colour. Head, pronotum, mesopleuron, metanotum, and propodeum green; mesoscutum red to golden-red; scutellum light green with feeble golden reflections; first metasomal tergum green with median stripe golden-red; second tergum entirely red with only a narrow green apical line, hardly visible and some weak green reflections on mid-line basally; third tergum red with apical margin blue and thin hyaline rim; scape and pedicel green; flagellomeres dark brown; tegulae metallic green; wings hyaline with light brown nervures; legs green, meso- and metalegs red on outern side; sterna metallic blue.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet strejceki is named after the Czeck entomologist Jaromír Strejček (9 Oct 1925 – 14 Feb 2019), a prominent Czech entomologist dedicated to nature conservation; several protected areas were created thanks to his efforts. In addition to Coleoptera, he studied Bethylidae and Dryinidae and collected some of the Uzbek specimens examined in this article and deposited in M. Halada collection. He was also a prominent mentor of Czech entomologists and this year marks 100 years since his birth.

Distribution. Uzbekistan.